Writing instrument



Sept. 14, 1965 N. K. RHOADEs WRITING INSTRUMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledDec. 29, 1955 Sept. 14, 1965 N. K RHOADl-:s

WRITING INSTRUMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 29, 1953 BY we uw @www QNQN Sept. 14, 1965 N. K. RHoADEs v 3,205,863

WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed Dec. 29, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 N. K. RHOADESWRITING INSTRUMENT sept. 14, 1965- 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Deo. 29, 1953.Ill E .I Illlllur Nolamffenggdes, )gal/f4 We g @m9,

.,QNQN/ .new w @l @l mw Qw @A United States Patent 3,205,863 PatentedSept. 14, 1965 Hice 3,205,863 WRITING INSTRUMENT Nolan Kent Rhoades,Milton, Wis., assignor to The lParker Pen Company, Janesville, Wis., acorporation of Wisconsin Filed Dec. 29, 1953, Ser. No. 400,933 Claims.(Cl. 1Z0-42.03)

The present invention relates generally to ball point writinginstruments and has to do particularly with devices of that characterhaving a projecting and retracting mechanism operated by a push buttonfor alternately moving the writing point between an exposed, writingposition and a concealed, non-writ-ing position lAn object of thepresent invention is to provide a ball point writing instru-ment havingan improved push button operated .projecting and retracting mechanism.

Ano-ther object of the invention is to provide a ball point writinginstrument having an improved push button Operated projecting andretracting mechanism which operates upon successive full depressions ofthe push button -to propel the writing point into exposed writingposition projecting from the barrel and to retract the writing pointtinto concealed non-writing position Within the barrel, respectively.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ball point writinginstrument having an improved push button actuated projecting andretracting mechanism so constructed and arranged that the writing unit,which includes au ink reservoir and a portion of the projecting andretracting mechanism, may be removed and replaced by another writingunit by a simple manual ope-ration which may be performed readily by theuser without requiring the use of any tools.

A `further object of the invention is to provide a simple` 'and reliableprojecting and retracting mechanism for a ball point writing instrumentwhich mechanism may be readily manufactured and assembled, whichoperates posi-- tively to project and retract the writing point uponvsuccessive depressions of a push button, and which will operatesatisfactorily for a long period of use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a writing instrument ofthe type having a replaceable writing unit, which is provided with aretracting-projeoting mechanism for the writing unit so constructed andarranged that an operating part thereof is a self-contained part of thewriting unit and replaceable therewith.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel, simple andinexpensive projectingaretracting mec'hanism for re-placeable writingunits of ball point writing instruments, wherein a major part of themechanism is affixed directly to the writing unit so as to bereplaceable therewith to ensure dependable operation of theprojectingretracting mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novelprojecting-retracting mechanism for ball point writing instrumentshaving replaceable writing units, which is so constructed that only onepart thereof has critical dimensions and configurations but lends itselft-o inexpensive manufacturing methods, and which is so arranged thatthis part is a self-contained part of the point-and-cartridge unit andreplaceable therewith to ensure that a fully effectiveprojecting-retracting mechanism is always present in the instrument.

-A further object of the invention is to provide a novelprojecting-retracting mechanism for a ba'llypoint writing instrumenthaving a replaceable writing unit, a critical part `.of which Imechanismis carried by and aixed to the replaceable writing unit so as to bereplaceable therewith thereby insuring that a fully effectiveprojecting-retracting mechanism is always present in the instrument.

A further object of the invention is t-o provide a projecting-retractingmechanism for a' ball point writing instrument of the type having awriting unit movable between a projected writing position and aretracted concealed position, which projecting-retracting mechanismincludes a cam element and means interacting with the cam element forimparting rotative movement thereto for effecting the positioning ofsaid unit in its projected and retracted positions, and a retractingspring for the writing unit which is also utilize-d as a motive forceapplied to .the cam element for effecting alternate projecting andretracting operations of the mechanism when the push button issuccessively depressed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel, simple .andeffective projecting-retracting mechanism for the writing unit of a ballpoint writing instrument, which l includes a rotatably and slidablymounted cam-carrying element actuated between a retracted and aprojected position within the body of the instrument by axially slid-.able cam actuating elements operable by a push button j therebypermitting dependable operation without any tening means longitudinallywithin the housing of the writ ing instrument into engagement with ca-msurfaces carried by a member rigidly -atlixed .to thepoint-and-cartridge unit, the cam surfaces being so arranged on themember that when they are successively e-ngaged by the actuating meansthey will cause the member to rotate within the instrument tosuccessively align the cam surfaces with or bring theml into thev pathof a stationary abutment to a1- ternately maintain thepoint-and-cartridge unit in extended and retracted positions. t

Other .objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in connection wit-h the appended drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the casing of apreferred embodiment of the invention showing the internal members inelevation, the writing point-and-cartridge unit lbeing in retractedposition with the writin-g point Vretracted within the cas-ing;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 but showing the writingpoint-and-cartridge unit in its projected position with the writingpoint in writing position;

- in their retracted positions;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view in elevation of the writingpoint-and-cartridge unit and the projecting-retracting mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal, sectional view similar to that ofFIG. v3 but with the point-and-cartridge unit and theprojecting-retracting mechanism in their projected positions with thepush button depressed;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 6 6 of FIG.3;

7 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 71-7 of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 8, 9, 10 and 1l arediagrammatic developed views illustratingstep-by-step the manner in which camming surfaces of a displaceable cambody carried by the point-and-cartridge unit are engaged alternately bystationary actuating means and actuating means longitudinally movablewith a push button to effect the retractingprojecting operation of thepointandcartridge unit;

FIGS. 12, 13, 14 and 1S are transverse sectional views taken along line12--12 of FIG. 3, showing the actual relative positions of the cammingportions of the cam body and the actuating means in FIGS. 8, 9, and 11,respectively;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view through the.instrument casing showing another embodiment of the invention which isprovided with a different form of cam body and cam bodyl actuatingmeans;

FIG.. 17 is a view similar to FIG. 16 but with the instrument rotatedthrough an angle of ninety degrees;

FIG. 18 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 18-18 of FIG.16;

FIG. 19 is a transverse line 19-19 of FIG. 16;

FIG. 20 is a developed view of the cooperating parts of the modifiedprojecting-retracting mechanism with the cam body and thepoint-and-cartridge units in projected positions;

FIG. 21 is a view of the modified form of the cam body actuatingelement; and

FIG. 22 is a view of the modified form of the cam body.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the preferredembodiment of the invention comprises a barrel or casing 1 having a mainsection 2 and a tapered tip 3, and a rear or end piece 4 carrying a clipelement 5. The barrel 1 is formed with a bore defining a chamber 6 whichreceives the front end of a point-andcartridge unit 7 connected to aprojecting-retracting mechanism generally indicated at 8.

The point-and-cartridge unit 7, which may simply be referred to as theWriting unit of the instrument, in-

`sectional view taken along cludes an ink reservoir section 10containing a quantity of ink suitable for use with ball point writinginstruments, an ink feed section 11, and a ball writing point 12 carriedat the forward end of the unit 7 and mounted firmly in a seat (notshown) in communication with a feed channel (not shown) withinv the inkfeed section 11 and leading to the reservoir section 10.

Forwardly of the chamber 6 is a reduced diameter section 15 forreceiving one end of a return or retracting spring 16 for thepoint-and-cartridge unit 7 seated against a shoulder 17 and bearingagainst the forward end of the reservoir section 10, and a bore 18 of asmaller diameter than section 15 which receives and guides the forward,reduced ink feed section 11. l

Secured rigidly in the lrearward endI of the reservoir section 10 andforming a self-contained part of the pointand-cartridge unit andreplaceable therewith is a cam body 20 which constitutes an essentialpart of the projecting-retracting mechanism of the instrument. The ca-mbody 20 is provided with a central opening or bore 21 which terminatesin a plurality of radially extending cuts or grooves 22 (FIG. 6) forsupplying air uniformly to the rear end of the ink column in thereservoir section 10 tor fill the space left by ink withdrawn from thewriting end of the unit. The cam body 20 is secured to the rear end ofreservoir section 10 in ink-tight relation therewith by providing acylindrical end portion Z4 fitting snugly within the end of thereservoir section up to a shoulder 25 and by firmly securing themtogether as by crimping, as indicated at 26.

The cam body 20 is rotatably and slidably disposed within a tubularcentral portion 27 of a stationary guide member 28 so as to in effect`be floating therein. The guide member 28 has formed integrally therewithan internally threaded, enlarged, forwardly extending portion 29 inengagement with an externally threaded end 30 of the barrel 10. Theguide member 28 is secured within the end piece 4 as by a soldered joint31 and a peened-overA edge 32 of the end piece. A rearwardly extending`reduced diameter portion 33 of the guide memend bears against a shoulder40 on the guide member 28.

The shoulder 40 is provided with a pair of radially opposite slots 41and 42 for receiving respective ones of a pair of diametrically oppositefingers 43 and 44 formed integrally with and extending forwardly fromthe plunger 34 inside the central, tubular portion 27 of the guidemember. 28. Two stop members 45 and 46. extend longitudinally within thecentral portion 27 of the guide member 28, adjacent and parallel withthe fingers 43 and 44, respectively. The stop members 45 and 46 mayconveniently be formed by a pair of parallel, longitudinal cuts 47j anda diagonal cut 48 inthe tubular wall of the central portion 27 of theguide member 28 to form a tab which then is displaced inwardly to dependat its rearward end from the guide member.

The cylindrical cam bodyv 20 is, in accordance with the invention,provided with a plurality of cam surfaces S0, 52, 54, 55 diametricallyopposite pairs of which are successively engageable by the fingers 43and 44 to impart unidirectional -rotational movement as well aslongitudinal reciprocating movement to the cam body and the ,Connectedunit 7 when the push button 35 Ais repeatedly depressed )to therebyalign alternate cam surfaces with the stationary stop members 45 and 46disposed to abut the cam surfaces and -bottom 'surfaces 51, 53 topositively y maintain the point-and-cartridge unit 27 and the cam bodyalternately in projected and retracted positions.

The cam surfacesS, 52, 54, 55 face toward the rear of the Writinginstrument and are equidistantly spaced from the axis of rotation of thecam body throughout their entire extents. The shapes and relativepositions of the cam surfaces are better seen in the exploded view inFIG. 4 and in the developed views of the cam body shown in FIGS. 8 to11. Each of the cam surfaces preferably follows a l5-degree helix aboutthe cylindrical cam body. The cam surfaces 50, 52, 54, 55 are orientedin the same sense, i.e., they are oriented so as to impart aunidirectional rotational movement to the cambody when moved against arotationally fixed cam actuating means. Each of thediametricallyopposite bottom surfaces 51 and 53 is located axiallyforwardly of the flanking cam surfaces 50, 54 and 52, 55, respectively.A stop surface 56 extending substantially parallel to the axis of thecam body is disposed between the trailing edge of bottom surface 51 andthe leading edge of the cam surface 50. A stop sui-face 57 is disposedbetween ,the trailing edge of cam stdface 51 and the leading edge of camsurface 54. Similar stop surfaces 58l and 59 are connected between thetrailing edge of bottom surface 53 and the leading edge of cam surface52,-and between the trailing edge of cam surface 50 and the leading edgeof cam surface 55, respectively. The camhsurfaces and bottom surfacestaken together are angularl'y continguous and stop surfaces 56, 57, 58and 59 are spaced apart by substantially 90 degrees, the cam surfaces 50and 52 each being substantially v twice as long as each of the camsurfaces 54 and 55 and the bottom surfaces 5,1 and 53.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 15 there areprovided two contiguous sets of cam and stop surfaces, eachy setcomprising a bottom surface 51, 53

flanked by cam surfaces 50, 54 and 52, 55,'respectively,

and in the same sense. The plunger 34 carrying the push button 35 isnormally biased rearwardly by the spring 38, with the shoulder 37 of theplunger abutting the inside rear endof the end piece 4 of the instrumentbody. The point-and-cartridge unit is biased rearwardly by the returnspring 16 which also serves to provide the motive power for effectingthe axial retracting movement and the rotational movement of the cambody 20 by biasing opposite pairs of cam surfaces 54, 55 or 50, 52(FIGS. 8 and 10) Aof the cam body against the stationary stop members 45and 46, depending on the angular orientation of the cylindrical cam bodywith respect thereto. If the orientation of the cam body 20 within theguide member 28 is such that the stop members 45 and 46 engage the camsurfaces 50 and 52, the point-and-cartridge unit 7 will be maintained inits projected position, while if the orientation of the cam body 20 issuch that the stop members will engage bottom surfaces 51 and 53, thecam body 20 and the point-and-cartridge unit will be permitted to extendfurther into the guide member v28 by a distance equal to the axialdistance between the cam surfaces 50, 52 and bottom surfacesV 51, 53,wherein the point-andcartridge unit 7 will be in its retracted position.cessive full depressions of push button 35, will, through correspondingmovements of actuating fingers 43 and 44, successively depress androtate the cam body 20 so as to causev alternate pairs of cam surfaces50, 52 and bottom surfaces 51, 53 to be engaged by the stationary stopmembers 45 and 46. This, in turn, will cause the pointand-cartridge unit7 to assume alternately an extended writing position andi a retractednon-writing position. The manner in which this is accomplished will nowbe described, referring particularly to FIGS. 8 to 15.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken through the guide member 28 andactuating fingers 43 and 44 showing the actual positions of the camsurfaces on the cam body 20 with respect to the stationary stop members45 and 46 and actuating fingers 43 and 44 when the cam body is in itsretracted position when the parts are inthe positions indicateddiagrammatically in FIG. 8. When the push button is depressed, theactuating fingers 43 and 44 will be moved downwardly (as viewed in FIG.8) with respect to stationary stop members 45 and 46 and will carry withthem the cylindrical cam body 20. The interaction between the cammingend portions of fingers 43 and 44 and the cam surfaces 50 and 55,respectively engaged thereby, will tend to rotate the cam body 20 in aclockwise direction as viewed from the front of the pen and to the rightin the developed view of FIG. 8. Such rotational movement of cam body 20will, however, initially be prevented by the stop surfaces 56 and 58which bear against the respective stop members 45 and 46.

When the cam body 20 has been depressed to an extent sufficient topermit the rearward edges of stop surfaces 56 and 58 to clear theforward edges of stop members 45 and 46 (FIG. 9), the cam body 20 isfree to rotate (in 'the direction indicatedr by the arrow) under theinfluence of the return spring 16 (FIG. 1) which applies a constantrearward force to the cam body until fingers 43 and 44 abutlongitudinally extending stop surfaces 59 and 57, respectively. When thepush button 35 is released and fingers 43 and 44 are withdrawn, the cambody 20 will be free to continue its rotational movement until stopmembers 45 and 46 abut the longitudinal edges 59 and 57, respectively.The cam body 20 and the pointand-cartridge unit 7 will thus have beenrotated through an angle of 90 degrees and will be in their projectedpositions. v

FIG. 10 shows the positions of the operating parts of theprojecting-retracting mechanism as the push button 35 is partlydepressed with actuating fingers 43 and 44 in engagement with camsurfaces 55 and 54, respectively. As the push button 35 is fullydepressed the fingers 43 and 44 are displaced further forwardly and willcarry with them the cam body 20 until the stop surfaces 59 and 57 clearthe stop members 45 and 46 respectively,

at which time the cam body will be free to rotate in a clockwisedirection as indicated in FIG. ll. The Cain body 20 will continue torotate until the fingers 43 und 44 engage, respectively, the bottomsurfaces 5l and 53 and the stop surfaces 58 and 56. The stop members and46 will now be in alignment with the cam surfaces and 54. When now thepush button 35 is released the fingers 43 and 44 will be retracted andthe cain body 20 will be permitted to rotate until stationary stops 45and 46 engage the stop surfaces 58`and 56 vand the bottom surfaces 51and 53, respectively. The cam body 20 will now again be in its retractedposition displaced by one-half a revolution from the correspondingposition shown in FIG. 8. It will thus be seen that as the push button35 is successively depressed and released the cam body 20 and thepoint-and-cartridge unit 7 will be successively positioned so as toengage the stop members 45 and 46 by the axially displaced pairs of thecam surfaces 50, 52 and bottom surfaces 51, 53 to alternately assumeprojected and retracted positions. Thus each successive time the writingunit is advanced to its writing position it is turned through an angleof 180 degrees. This will tend to minimize unequal wear on the seat ofthe writing ball, and will also tend to loosen foreign particles thathave been picked up by the ball and become lodged between the ball andthe ball seat.

It is thus seen that the stop means 45, 46 are received alternately, ineither retracted or projected position of the writing unit, by eitherthe recess portions (grooves) having the bottom surfaces 51, 53, or therecess portions t(grooves) having the cam surfaces 50, 52 as theirbotoms.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS.

16 to 20 has a modified projecting-retracting mechanism,A

but the other parts of the instrument may be like those of the preferredembodiment described above and the description thereof will, therefore,not be repeated. The modified cylindrical cam body 60 is firmly securedwithin the rear end of the reservoir section 10 and is provided `with acentral air feeding arrangement similar. to that of the cam body 20 ofthe embodiment described above. The cam surfaces of the cam body 60(FIG. 22) are arranged in the same manner as the cam surfaces 50 to 55of the cam body 20 described above but extend radially inwardly somewhatfurther and terminate in a guide bore 62 centrally of the cam body. Aguide member 64 is provided for receiving the cam body 60 (FIG. 16). Asleeve member 65 internally threaded to engage the threaded end 30 ofthe main section 2 of the barrel 1 1s adapted to receive snuglytherewithin the forward end 66 of the guide member 64 up to a shoulder67 and 1s secured to the guide member by crimping as indicated at 63.The end portion 4 of the instrument body 1 is press fitted on the sleevemember and on the shoulder 67 of the guide member 64. The guide member64 is provided with a rear wall 68 (FIG. 17) having a central circularopening 69 (FIG. 18) and a pair of diametrically opposite openings 70and 71 defined between radially extending walls. .1

A plunger 72 (FIG. 2l) is formed integrally with a rearwardly extendingreduced diameter hub 73 and with a pair of cam body actuating elements74 and 75 extending 'radially from a central, cylindrical guide portion76 having a rounded end 77 extending forwardly beyond the actuatingelements 74 and 75. The cylindrical guide portion 76 of plunger 72 isdimensioned so as to fit within the central opening 69 (FIG. 18) in rearwall 68 of the guide member 64 and the actuating elements 74 and 75 aredimensioned so as to be received by openings 70 and 71 therein. It willthus be seen that the cam body actuating portion of the plunger 72 isfree to move axially through the end wall 68 but is prevented fromrotating with respect to the guide member 64. A rounded end 77 of thecentral guide portion 76 of the plunger 72 extends forwardly beyond theactuating elements 74 `and and is received by the central guide bore 62in the p invention may readily be replaced by the user.

`7 cam body 60. A cap 78 is prior fitted onto the hub 73 of the plunger72 and is secured thereto to serve as the push button for theprojecting-retracting mechanism. I

The guide member 64 is further provided with a pair of diametricallyopposite, inwardly extending stop members 79 and 80 formed integrallytherewith and disposed adjacent one side of the respective openings 70and 71 (FIG. 19), for abutting the cam surfaces on the cam body 60 tolimit the rearward movements thereof. The stop members 79 and 80 extendforwardly to points somewhat short of the positions assumed bytheforward ends of the actuating elements 74 and 75 when the push button 78is fully depressed and the actuating elements are fully extended.

FIG. 20 is a developed view taken along a circular cylindrical vplanewithin guide member 64 and cutting through the stop members 79 and 80showing the relative positions of the cam surfaces of the cam body 60,the actuating elements 74 and 75 and the stop members 79 and 80 when thecam body is in its retracted position as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. Theoperation of the modified projecting-retracting mechanism is generallysimilar to that described above in connection with FIGS. 8 to 11. Whenthe push button 73 is depressed, the actuating elements 74 and 75 willbe displaced forwardly within the pen body and will engage the camsurfaces 81 and 82 of the cam body 60 and displace the cam body by anamount sufficient to clear the stationary stop members 79 and 80. Whenthe cam body 60 clears the stop members 79 and 80 and hence is free torotate within the guide member 64, it will be cammed in a clockwisedirection as viewed from the front end of the pen or to the right asviewed in FIG. 20 bythe rearward force applied to the cam body 60 byjthereturn spring 16 (FIG. 1) until the left-hand edges of actuatingelements 74 and 75 abut respective edges 83 and 84 on the vcam body.When the push button 73 is released and the 'actuating elements -74 and75 are withdrawn, a further rotational movement will be imparted to thecam body 60 to where stop members 79 and 78 will abut edges 83 and 84.

The 4cam body 60 and the point-and-cartridge unit 7 will now be in theirextended positions. Another full depression and release of the pushbutton 73 will move the cam body 60 into the retracted position again asillustrated in FIG. 20 but with the cam body rotated through an angle of180 degrees.

It will thus be appreciated that as the push button 35 of the embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 1 to 15, or the push button 73 of the embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 16 to 20 is successively depressed and released,the projecting-retracting mechanism actuated thereby will alternatelyproject the writing point into projected, writing position and retractednon-Writing position, each time rotating the point-and-cartridge unit180 degrees with respect to the casing. Inasmuch as the user willordinarily hold the instrument in a certain position with the clippointing away from the hand holding it, undue wear on one side of theball seat will be prevented.

It will also be appreciated that the projecting-retracting mechanismcomprises few parts, all of which are readily manufactured by standardmanufacturing methods. Al'- though the various parts may readily be madefrom metal they also may be made'from suitable plastic material such asnylon, for example. All the various parts of the projecting-retractingmechanism in accordance with my The cam body 20 and the modified form ofcam body 60 lend themselves particularly well to be cheaply molded byconventional manufacturing methods from readily available plasticmaterials to perform satisfactorily for a period substantially longerthan the time the ink supply of the cartridge will last. The largecontacting surfaces of the cam bodies, the actuating members and thestop members reduce the wear on the operating parts to a minimum.

It will also be noted that the point-and-cartridge unit is positivelyAheld by the fixed stop members in both projected and retractedpositions,`- and because of the torque applied to the cam body, themechanism will remain in either position until the push button isactuated.

The construction of the projecting-retracting mechanism is in bothembodiments such that the stop members may be formed integrally with astationary member and may be madey of substantial size thereby avoidinga common disadvantage of known projecting-retracting mechanismsemploying one or more pins as stop members. Such pins are subjected toconsiderable localized pressures and tend, therefore, to loosen or breakoff.

None of the operating parts of the projecting-retracting mechanism inaccordance with my invention requires close manufacturing tolerances fordependable operation. By freely supporting the cam body of theprojecting-retracting mechanism within a tubular guide and by providingmeans carried by the cam body and cam actuating means respectively formaintaining axial alignment thereof, the cam body will not jam or freezeeven under the n`ost adverse conditions, thus insuring long and dependale life for the projecting-retracting mechanism.

-'Although only two specific embodiments of the invention have beendescribed herein it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatvarious modifications both as to the shape and the arrangement of theparts may be made without departing from the scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A ball point writing instrument comprising: a housing having anindicium on a side thereof; a writing unit axially slidably mounted inthe housing and movable forwardly to projected position and rearwardlyto retracted position; a spring urging the writing unit rear.- Wardly;and projecting retracting mechanism for the writing unit, said mechanismincluding a cam body connected to the writing unit in a mannerpreventing relative rotation therebetween, said cam body including aplurality of spaced cam surfaces, a depressible means restrained againstrotation for axially moving said cam body and writing unit, and meansfixed in said housing coacting with said cam body upon axial movementthereof to sequentially traverse said cam surfaces to unidirectionallyrotate the cam body and writing unit in unison to successively differentrotative projected position relative to said indicium on successiveoperation of said depressible means.

2. A ball point writing instrument comprising a housing having anindicium on a side thereof, a writing unit having a ball writing pointmounted in the housing for forward vmovement to project the writingpoint from the housing and rearward movement to retract the writingpoint within the housing, a spring urging the writing unit rearwardly,and a projecting-retracting mechanism for the writing unit, saidmechanism including-a depressible operating member restrained againstrotation, a cam body associated with said member and secured to saidunit in a manner preventing relative rotation therebetween, said cambody including a plurality of spaced cam surfaces, and means in saidhousing coacting with said depressible member and sequentiallytraversing said cam surfaces for positively rotating the Writing unitunidirectionally to successively different rotative point-projectedpositions relative to said indicium upon axial movement thereof onsuccessive operations of said depressible member.

3. A ball point writing instrument comprising a housing having anindicium on a side thereof, a writing unit having a ball writing pointmounted in the housing for forward movement to a projected position `ofthe writing point out of the housing and rearward movement to aretracted position of the writing point Within the housing, adepressible member axially movable in said housing and restrainedagainst rotation, an axially and rotatably movable body disposed betweensaid depressible member and said writing unit and including a pluralityof spaced cam surfaces engageable by said depressible member, and meansfixedly mounting said body on said writing unit, said depressible memberupon axial movement thereof coacting with said body to move said unitaxially and unidirectionally rotationally to positions corresponding tosaid retracted position or to successively different rotative projectedpositions relative to said indicium depending upon the rotationalposition of saidbody.

4. A ball point refill cartridge for use in a retractable writinginstrument having a housing with an indicium on a side thereof, a stopmember xed therein for holding said cartridge in projected position,having means therein for urging said cartridge rearwardly to retractedposition, and having a depressible member restrained against rotationfor axially moving said cartridge between said positions, said cartridgehaving connected thereto as a part thereof in a manner preventingrelative rotation therebetween a body including a plurality of spacedcam surfaces for sequential camming coaction vwith said stop member tounidirectionally rotate said writing unit to successively differentrotative projected positions relative to said indicium as said body andwriting unit are moved axially.

5. A projecting-retracting mechanism for a writing instrument having anelongated housing and a writing unit movable within said housing betweena projected writing position and a retracted position within saidhousing, said mechanism comprising a cylindrical cam body connected tothe rear end of said writing unit and movable therewith axially of saidhousing and being rotatable for positively locating said writing unit inits projected and its retracted positions, tubular guide means coaxiallydisposed xedly within said housing for rotatably and slidably receivingsaid cam body, top means within said guide means and fixed with respectthereto, said cam body having angularly spaced stop surfaces forengaging said stop means for stopping rotation of said cam body andhaving axially and angularly spaced cam and bottom surfaces for engagingsaid stop means for stopping rearward axial movement of said cam body,said surfaces being selectively engageable with said stop means fordefining said projected and retracted positions of said writing unit,spring means resiliently urging said writing unit and cambodyrearwardly, and depressible means for said cylindrical cam bodyslidably disposed within said housing rearwardly of said guide means,said depressible means including forward camming portions extendinginside said guide means, said forward portions cammingly engaging saidcam surfaces upon depression of said depressible,d

means for imparting forward axial movement to said cam body and forimparting unidirectional rotational movement to said cam body uponseparation of said stop surfaces from said stop means, said spring meansimparting rearward axial movements and the same unidirectionalrotational movement to said cam body through interaction of said camsurfaces on said stop means upon release of said depressible means, saidcam body and writing unit being thereby positioned in projected positionwith said stop means engaging one of said cam surfaces and one of saidstop surfaces an'd being positioned in retracted position with said stopmeans engaging one of said bottom surfaces and another one of said stopsurfaces.

6. A projecting-retracting mechanism for a writing instrument having anelongated housing having an indicium on a side thereof and a writingunit rotatably and longitudinally movable within said housing between aprojected writing position and a retractedposition within said housing,said mechanism comprising stop means fixed with respect to said housing,a cam body secured to said writing unit to prevent relative rotationtherebetween and having stop surfaces thereon engageable with said stopmeans to prevent rotation of said cam body and writing unit in eitherthe projected or the retracted position thereof, means yresilientlyopposing axial forward movement of said writing unit, and depressiblemeans-slidably disposed in the rear end of said housing adapted toengage said cam body and displace it forwardly longitudinally todisengage said stop surfaces from said stop means to permit rotationthereof, said cam body having a plurality of spaced cam surfaces thereonfor cammingly riding on said depressible means and said stop means uponseparation of said stop surfaces from said stop means after depressionand release of said depressible means to impart rotational movement tothe cam body, said depressible means and said cam surfaces being therebyeffective to impart forward axial movement and rotational movement andrearward movement to said cam body and writing unit to therebysuccessively move said writing unit unidirectionally to successivelydifferent projected positions relative to said indicium dependent uponthe relative rotational position of said cam body and said stop means.

7. A projecting-retracting mechanism for a writing instrument having anelongated housing and a writing unit movable within said housing betweena projected writing position and a retracted position within saidhousing,

said mechanism comprising a cylindrical cam body congg. a

nected to the rear end of said writing unit and movable therewithaxially of said housing and rotationally thereof for positively locatingsaid writing unit in its projected and its retracted positions, stopmeans within said housing and fixed with respect thereto, said cam bodyhaving angularly spaced stop surfaces selectively engageable with saidstop means for defining different rotational positions of said cam bodycorresponding to said projected and retracted positions of said writingunit, spring means resiliently urging said locating means rearwardlytoward said stop means, and depressible means for said cylindrical cambody including forwardly extending camming portions movable between aposition with said portions in engagement with said cam body to maintainthe latter depressed and disengaged from said stop means and a positionseparated from said cam body, guide means includingl a tubular portionfxedly disposed within said housing to slidably and rotatably receivesaid cam body and including a reduced diameter cylindrical portionadapted to form an internal guide for said depressible means andincluding a wall portion connecting said tubular portion and saidreduced-diameter portion, said Wall portion having openings thereindisposed to receive said forwardly extending portions of saiddepressible means, said cam body having cam surfaces thereon for cammingengagement with said forwardly 'extending camming portions and said stopmeans for imparting both axial movements and unidirectional rotatibnalmovements to said cam body causing alternate ones of said stop surfacesto engage said stop means upon each successive operation of saiddepressible means.

8. A projecting-retracting mechanism for a writing instrument having anelongated housing and a writing unit movable within said housing betweena projected writing position and a retracted position within Asaidhousing, said mechanism comprising a cam body connected to the rear endof said writing unit and movable therewith axially and rotationally ofsaid housing for positively locating said writing unit in its projectedand its retracted positions,

tubular guide means fixed with respect to said housing adapted toslidably and rotatably receive said cam body, stop means within saidguide means and affixed thereto, said -cam body having angularly spacedstop surfaces selectively engageable with said stop means for definingdifferent rotational positions of said writing unit, said cam bodyhavingl axially and angularly spaced cam surfaces and bottom surfacesangularly intermediate said stop surfaces, said cam body being providedwith a central guide bore, spring means resiliently urging said cam bodyrearwardly into engagement with said stop means, and depressible meansaxially slidable within said housing for depressing said cam body, saiddepressible means including a pair of forwardly extending diamerticallyopposite extensions for cammingly riding on said cam surfaces and acentral cylindrical hub portion intermediate said extensions and formedintegrally therewith, and adapted to extend into said guide bore of saidcam body, said extensions of said depressible means upon depressionthereof imparting axial movement to said caml body to separate it fromsaid stop means, and then imparting a unidirectional rotational movementto said cam body as said cam surfaces cam over said extensions and saidstop means, the movement of said cam body thereby'bringing alternateones of said stop surfaces and said cam and bottom surfaces intoengagement with said stop means upon each successive operation of saiddepressible means, said guide means being .provided with a rear wallportion having an opening therein for receiving said extensions of saiddepressible means and the hub portion therebetween.

9. A projecting-retracting mechanism for the writing unit of a ballpoint writing instrument having an elongated, generally tubular housing,said writing unit being axially movable within said housing between Aaforward writing position wherein the writing point of the unit projectsfrom the front end of said housing and a retracted rearward positionwherein the writing point is concealed within said housing, saidmechanism comprising a cylindrical cam body, means connecting said cambody to said writing unit, means resiliently urging said cam bodyrearwardly within said housing, fixed guide means for rotatably andaxiallyslidably receiving saidv cam body, diametrically opposite stopmembers xedly disposed within said guide means for engaging the cambody, said cam body having axially and angularly displaced pairs ofdiametrically opposite recess portions for receiving said stop means toretain said cambody in either of two axially displaced positionscorresponding to the pojected and retracted positions of said writingunit, said cam body being provided with cam surfaces angularlyintermediate said recess portions, said cam surfaces all being inclinedin the same direction, a push button slidably mounted in said housingand carrying a pair of spaced, diametrically oplposite forwardlyextending fingers, said fingers being disposed to engage a pair ofdiametrically opposite ones of said cam surfaces upon depression of saidplunger to move said cam body axially forward out of engagement withsaid stop members, said cam surfaces reacting against said ngers andsaid stop means under the axial force exerted by said resilient means toimpart unidirectional rotation to said cam element with respect to saidstop means toalign said pair of cam surfaces with said stop means,whereby said stop means will engage the ones of said cam surfacesinitially engaged by said actuating iingers upon release of said plungerto impart a further rotational movement to said cam body to seat saidstop means in a pair of said recess portions of said cam body axiallyand angularly spaced from those recess portions of said cam body thatwere in engagement with said stop means immediately preceding thedepression of said plunger, said writing unit being thereby shiftedsuccessively from one to the other of its retracted and projectedpositions.

10. A ball point Writing instrument comprising a barrel, apoint-and-cartridge unit including an ink reservoir, a ball writingelement and ink feed means connecting said reservoir and said writingelement, said unit being mounted I for rotation within said barrel andfor projection and retraction movement in said barrel between aprojected position wherein said writing element is exposed for writingand a retracted position wherein said writing element is concealedwithin said barrel, spring means resiliently urging said unit towardretracted position, a generally cylindrical cam body secured to therearward end of said pointand-cartridge unit, said cam body having aplurality of spiral cam surfaces extending substantially radiallyinwardly of said cam body, each of said cam surfaces extending over'anangular distance of less than half the circumference of the cam body andbeing oriented in the same sense, adjacent cam surfaces beingangularly-contiguous, said cam surfaces being arranged in groups of-twocams surfaces, said cam surfaces in each group being interconnected bystop surfaces extending substantially longitudinally of said cam body,said groups being. seperated by an axial groove having a bottomlsurfaceand a side-stop surface, one of said cam surfaces of each group beingdisposed forwardly of the other, the forward cam surface in each groupleading into a forwardly disposedfbottom surface of one of said groovesva one of said side-stop surfaces, said forwardly disposed cam surfaceof each group of cam surfaces extending over an angular distancesubstantially twice the angular distance of the rearward cam surface andalso twice that of the bottom surface, a push button axially movablebetween a rearward position protruding from the rear end of saidinstrument body and a forwardly depressed position, resilient means inengagement with said push button biasing said push button toward itsrearward position, cam body operating means axially movable with saidpush button disposed to cammingly engage said cam surfaces of said cambody upon depression of said push button, stop means fixed' with rejspect to said barrel disposed to be engaged by said cam surfaces of saidcam body when said push button is released and said operating means iswithdrawn thereby permitting said cam body to be displaced rearwardly bysaid jbint-and-cartr'idge unit return spring, the arrangement ti'zingsuch that each depression of said push button project and rotates saidcam body through interaction of said operating means and said camsurfaces and that each release of said push button permits saidpoint-and-cartridge unit return spring to retract and rotate said cambody through interaction "f said cam surfaces and stop means therebypositioning :aid vwriting unit and cam body in the projected positionwth said stop means engaging one of said .forward cam surfaces and inthe retracted position with said stop means engaging one of said buttonsurfaces of said groove.

11. A ball point writing instrument comprising a barrel, apoint-and-cartridge unit including an ink reservoir, a ball'writingelement and ink feed means connecting said reservoir and said writingelement, said uni-t being mounted for rotation wit-hin said barrel andfor projection and retraction movement in said barrel between aprojected position wherein said writing element is exposed forwritingand a retracted position wherein said writing element isconcealed within said barrel, spring means resiliently urging said unittoward retracted positions, a cam body rotat-ably and axially movablewithin said barrel, said cam body being fixedly mounted at the rear endof said point-and-cartridge unit and including rearwardly facingc-amming surfaces, all of said camming surfaces formed with the sameinclination to impar-t unidirectional rotational movement to said cambody, said cam body having generally longitudinally extending stopsurfaces extending Vforwardly from the leading endI of each cam surface,stop means fixed with respect to said barrel and disposed to engage anyone of said cam surfaces as said cam 'body is biased thereagainst by theaction of said biasing spring and to impart rotation t0 said cam body towhere one of said stop surfaces engages said stop means, depressiblecamming means movable axially in said instrument housing and engageablewith said cam surfaces for moving said cam body between an axialposition wherein any one of said stop surfaces may engage said stopmeans, and an axial position wherein said depressible means is incamming engagement with said cam body separating the stop surfaces ofthe latter from said stop me-ans and permitting said cam surfaces toengage said stop means thereby rotating said cam body and writing unitto different rotational positions and locking said cam body and writingunit in either projected or retracted position depending upon therotational position of said cam body.

12. A ball point writing instrument comprising a housing having -anindicium on a side thereof and having a forward section and a rearwardsection, a writing unit disposed principally in the forward section androtatably and longitudinally movable in the housing between a retracted.position and a plurality of rotatively different projected positionsrelative to said indicium, means resiliently urging the writing unittoward retracted position, -a cam -body mounted in the rear end of andforming a part of the writ-ing unit and removable therewith as a unit,said cam body and said writ-ing unit 'being secured together againstmutual relative rotation, said cam body having fa plurality of spacedcam surfaces and stop surfaces thereon with rear open ends, depressiblemeans slidably .disposed in the rearward section, stop means fxedlymounted in said rear section, said depressible means and stop meanshaving forward ends engage-able with the cam surfaces, said stop meanshav-ing side edges engageable with said stop surfaces, the depressiblemeans and stop means being engageable and disengageable respectivelywith the cam surfaces and stop surfaces in response to connection anddisconnection of the housing sections, and the writing unit beingremovable from the housing upon separation of the housing section, saiddepressible means being `effective upon depression for movingv the cambody and writing unit forwardly and for unidirectionally rot-ating samewhen the cam body is moved forwardly beyond the stop means, said amsurfaces camming against said forward ends of said depressible means andstop means to rotate said c-am body and writing unit'until said stopsurfaces vengagesaid side edges of said stop means, said cam body andwriting unit coming to rest sequentially in said relatively differentprojected position relative to said indicium depending upon therotational position of said cam body relative to said stop means.

13. A ball point writing instrument comprising a housing having anindicium on a side thereof and including separable forward and rearwardsections, a writing unit mounted in the housing for sliding movementbetween a retracted position and a plurality of rotatively differentprojected positions relative to said indicium and disposed principallyin the forward section and removable therefrom upon separation of .thesections, said writing unit including a writing point-and a reservoirtube extending rearwardly therefrom, resilient means biasing the writingunit toward retracted position, depressible means slidably disposed inthe rearward section, a cam body interposed between the depressiblemeans and reservoir tube for engaging said depressible means andconnected to said unit in a manner preventing relative rotation betweensaid cam body and said unit, stop means xedly mounted in the rearwardsection engageable with said cam body and operative for restraining thecam body against rearward movement in its projected position in responseto the cam body being disposed in altern-ate and successive positionsrotationally, said cam body including a plurality of spaced cam surfacesthat sequentially coact with said depressible means and said stop meansto unidirectionally rotate said cam body and said writing unit togethersequentially to different rotative projected positions relative t-o saidindicium, the depressible means upon depression thereof moving the cambody forwardly of the stop means and unidirectionally rotating it whenmoved forwardly therebeyond, the cam body being operatively engage'ablewith and separable from the depressible means and stop means in responseto connection and disconnection of the housing sections.

14. A writing unit for use in the combination of claim 9 wherein saidwriting unit is removable from said housing and said cam body is securedover the rear end of said unit and forms apart of said unit.

15. A writing unit for use in the combination of claim 9 wherein saidwriting unit comprises a tubular ink reservoir and said body is a plugpartially disposed in the rear end of said reservoir to limit access tothe contents of said reservoir.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 387,042 7/88Bohren. 2,476,571 7/49 Vierling 1Z0- 42.03 2,595,001 4/52 Sams 1Z0-42.03 Xv 3,120,837 2/-64 Johnson 1Z0-42.03

FOREIGN PATENTS 10,026 1887 Great Britain.

162,533 3/49 Australia.

635,144 4/50 Great Britain.

677,376 8/52 Great Britain. 1,000,845 10/51 France.

EUGENE R. -CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

EVERETI R. REYNOLDS, GEORGE'A. NINAS, IR., CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, JEROMESCHNALL,

Examiners.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No,3,205,863 September 14, 1965 Nolan Kent Rhoades It is hereby certifiedthat error appears in the above numbered pat ent requiring correctionand that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 9, line 5, after "unit" lnsert M both rr; line 3S, for "top" readstop l Column ll, line 35, for "pojected" read projected 1 L Column I2,lines Z9 and 30, for "project" read projects n; line 38, for "button"read bottom Column 13, line 33, for "relatively" read -Y- rotatlvely M;line 34, for "position" read m positions Column 14, line l?, for"operatively" read y operably line 40, for "Australia" read le AustriaSigned and sealed thls 28th day of June 1966r (SEAL) Attest.-

ERNEST W. SWlDER EDWARD I. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. A BALL POINT WRITING INSTRUMENT COMPRISING: A HOUSING HAVING ANINDICIUM ON A SIDE THEREOF; A WRITING UNIT AXIALLY SLIDABLY MOUNTED INTHE HOUSING AND MOVABLE FORWARDLY TO PROJECTED POSITION AND REARWARDLYTO RETRACTED POSITION; A SPRING URGING THE WRITING UNIT REARWARDLY; ANDPROJECTING RETRACTING MECHANISM FOR THE WRITING UNIT, SAID MECHANISMINCLUDING A CAM BODY CONNECTED TO THE WRITING UNIT IN A MANNERPREVENTING RELATIVE ROTATION THEREBETWEEN, SAID CAM BODY INCLUDING APLURALITY OF SPACED CAM SURFACES, A DEPRESSIBLE MEANS RESTRAINED AGAINSTROTATION FOR AXIALLY MOVING SAID CAM BODY AND WRITING UNIT, AND MEANSFIXED IN SAID HOUSING COACTING WITH SAID CAM BODY UPON AXIAL MOVEMENTTHEREOF TO SEQUENTIALLY TRAVERSE SAID CAM SURFACES TO UNIDIRECTIONALLYROTATE THE CAM BODY AND WRITING UNIT IN UNISON TO SUCCESSIVELY DIFFERENTROTATIVE PROJECTED POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID INDICIUM ON SUCCESSIVEOPERATION OF SAID DEPRESSIBLE MEANS.